elliott



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. C. W. ELLIOTT. STORE SERVICE APPARATUS.

Patented 1160.6, 1887.

liu/calor 2ML M (No Model.) 2 She-Shet 2.

C. W. ELLIOTT.

STORE SERVICE APPARATUS. No. 374,295.. Patented Deo. 6, 1887.

ZIO Eli E j 2 0- qy /of W' n. versus. Fhmumgmpmr, wammgxgn. D4 a UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES W. ELLIOTT, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO GILBERT R.- ELLIOTT, OF SAME PLACE, AND VVATKIN M. GRIFFITH AND ISAAC W. PARMENTER, BOTH OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

STORE-SERVICE APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 374,295, dated December 6, 1887.

nppncnnn find Jim@ 17, les?.

.To @ZZ whom, t may concern:

Beit known that I, CHARLES W. ELLrotr'r, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have made a new'and useful invention for use in StoreService Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

My invention 4relates to what is known as a store-service system,7 in which cash and goods are conveyed to and fro between the salesman and cashier and examining-clerks by means of a wire track capable of being inclined in reverse directions, whereby a car can be caused to travel thereon by gravity.

My invention comprisesadevice for raising the car to the track by means of foot-power, a toggle device operating in conjunction with the latter for controlling the descent 'of the car from the track to the salesman, a device for imparting an impetus to the car when in position to start toward the cashier, mechanism for stopping and releasing the car at the cashiers end of the track, and means for automatically seizing and sustaining` the track for a sufficient time for the car to reach the cashier and then releasing and allowing the track to drop, in order to cause the return of 3o the car to the salesman.

In the drawings, Figure l is au elevation of a store-service apparatus embodying my invention and showing the upper position ofthe track by dottedoutline. The remaining iigures are details of parts shown in Fig. l, and drawn to an enlarged scale, Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the device for raising the car and controlling the descent of the same. Figs. 3 and 4. are respectively a side elevation and 4o plan of the latter. Fig. 5 is a side view of a movable section of the track, and showing a device connected therewith for imparting an impetus to the car in starting. Fig. Gis a plan of the latter. Figs..7 and 8 are respectively a front and side elevation ofthe device for automatically reversing the inclination of the track at the proper time. Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the car and mechanism for stopping and releasing it at the cashiers end of the Serial No. 241,600. (No model.)

track. Figs. 10 and ll are plans of certain 5c parts shown in Fig. 9.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

A designates a cashiers compartment, adjoining whichis a counter, B, for examining or measuring articles forwarded by a salesman at a counter, C.

D is a wire track secured at one end to a turn-buckle, d, pivotally connected to a fixed support, d, and at its other end to a verti- 6o cally-adjustable support, E, consisting of an arm, e, pivotally connected to a carriage, e', provided with an extension, e, and anti-friction rollers e, working against a vertical guide-bar e3, secured to the ceiling. The arm c has its central portion set out sidewise, and is provided with an end portion, 6*, in line with and forming a part of' the track, and to which the wire track is secured. Hinged to the portion e4 is a bar, c5, to which a iiexible 73 cord, c, is secured and passed around a pulley, cl, mounted in bearings on the arm e, and so arranged that the cord will form a continuation of the track, and have relatively a steeper inclination. From the pulley e7 the 75 cord is carried over a pulley, es, mounted in bearings secured to the guide-bar c3, and from thence to a device, F, for raising and lowering the car. This device consists of a frame, F', having a baseplate, f, and top plate, f', rigidly united by four guide-rods,]E2 f3 f* f5.

A foot-plate, f6, provided with hubs fl, is loosclymounted to slide toaconvenientheight on the rodsf2 and f3, by means of a cord, f8, secured to said foot-plate and passing over a 8 5 pulley, f, mounted in bearings in the top plate,f, and thence to abra'ckeafw, to which it is secured. This bracket is secured to a cross-bar, fu, provided with hubs f1, and loosely mounted to slide on guide-rodsf* and 9o f5. f1 is a series of pulleys mounted in bearings secured to the cross-bar f, and f1* is another series of pulleys mounted in bearings secured to the base-platef, and around which passes the cord e, before mentioned, its end being secured to the base-plate f. By this means the vertical movement of the foot-plate will multiply to any extent that of the cord e6.

lVhen the'car is received on the cord eff, it will draw the top series of pulleys f13 and cross-barf11 downward as it descends from the track, causing the foot-plate f, connected to the cross-bar]C11 by the cord fs, to rise.

Pivoted to the cross-barf11 and base-platef are a pair of toggle-levers,ff1, having coilsprings arranged around their connectingpins in such manner that their tension may be adjusted substantially like that for ordinary door-hinges. These springs tend to maintain the cross-bar]C11 in its upper position, preventing any slack in the cord e", and have their tension so adjusted as to allow the car to descend with proper and uniform speed by reason of the toggle-levers arranging themselves to act with increasing leverage as the car descends, thereby compensating for the increasingdtension of the springs during the same perlo G is a car consisting of grooved wheels g g, journaled to a T-shaped support, g', from which is suspended a suitable receptacle, g2, for parcels. A lever, g3, is fulcrumed between its ends at of to the support g', and having one end formed to act as a brake and stop the car, and the other end provided with an eye, to which a cord, g5, is attached.

gt is a trip-lever having a shoulder, gl, to engage with a projection, gg, integral with the support g.

g" is a bar secured to a fixed support, and having a projection, gw, against which rests a shoulder, g, of an abutment, gm, pivoted to said bar and movable in one direction.

To return the ear to the salesman, the operator pulls the cord y, which raises the brake and lowers the pivoted portion of thelever gs, causing its shoulder to engage with the under side ofthe projection gby means of the spring g13,and be retained there until the car again returns to the cashier, when the upper end of the lever gf comes in contact with the abutment g, which throws it out of engagement with the projection g8, when the spring gu will cause the brake to act and stop the car.

His a movable stop, the periphery of the arc-shaped portion of which is circular and concentric with the center of the shaft ZL, to which it is secured. This shaft is supported in a bearing on the arm e, and provided with a pulley, 7L', around which a cord, h2, is secured and passed overa pulley, h3, and thence to within reach of the operator.

Vhen the car is in position to start after it has been raised and the track has been lifted by pulling on the cord e by hand, the cord 7b2 is pulled, which raises the stop that retains the car, and by reason of the cars sudden release it will receive an impetus causing it to make a rapid transit. The circular motion of the stop obviates giving a backward movement in operating it to the car. ZL" is a pin to limit the downward motion of the stop to its normal position. It is secured to the pulley h and strikes against the support h5. This pin may also strike against a projection on the top of thesupport r" to limit the upward motion of the stop H. v The stop falls by its own weight after being raised by the operator, and may be automatically raised by the cord Zr, if desirable.

L is a device for automatically reversing the inclination of the track. It consists of a cylinder, Z, filled with a suitable liquid and having an extension, Z, by which it may be secured to the guidebar e by a setscrew.

Zz is a piston having a valve, Z, attached to its lower side, tending to close bythe pressure of the iiuid when the piston descends and secured on its upper side to the forked end of a rod, Zt, secured to a cross-bar, Z5. This crossbar is rigidly seeuredto another cross-bar, ZG, Y

by side rods, ZT, working through lugs cast on the cylinder.

ZB Zs are jaws having upward extensions ZD Z,

vworking within loops Zlo Zw, secured to the base portion of the cylinder and having springs Zl1 Z to keep the jaws in a closed position.

Zlll is a rod passing loosely through the crossbar Z5 and screw-threaded into and through the annular wall of the piston until it projects sufficiently to form. a stop to prevent the valve t3 from' entirely closing the passage through the piston, and which may be regulated by means of a knob, Z13.

The head e of the extension el?, forming part of the carriage e', is formed with inclined sides and provided with shoulders ew and a iiat upper portion, cu. It operates as follows: On raising the track the head e enters the V- shaped opening in the jaws, forcing them apart, and, coming in contact with the crossbar Z, raises it, together with the upper crossbar and piston, causing the liquid in the cylinder to pass below the piston. On reaching the `upper position the springactuated jaws sustain the track, thereby relieving the operator. Vhile the car is moving toward the cashier the weight of the track is causing the piston to slowly descend in the cylinder by reason of the retiowing of the liquid from the lower to the upper side thereof through the small opening given to the valve. Vhen the car has reachedits destination, the reiiow has been so regulated by the rod Z12 that the piston and its connected parts have reached a position where the extension of the jaws will come in contact with the loops Zw Z10 and cause the jaws to open and release the track.

I have shown only one track and its operating devices; but any number maybe arranged in a store so as to radiate to a common point.

The following, among other advantages, flow from the use of astore-serviee apparatus constructed according to my in vention:` the salesman is relieved from holding the track up until the car reaches the other end and then lowering it for the return thereof, as this operation is performed automatically. He is therefore enabled to devote his time to a customer or otherwise more protitabl y. Besides, the car can be received from and replaced upon the track and the latter raised to its up- IIO G, and operating-cord c6, of two series of pulleys around which the end of said cordis passed and secured to a fixed support, oneseries of said pulleys turning on an axis mounted in a stationary plate and the other series of said pulleys turning on an axis mounted in a movable plate sliding on suitable guide-bars, the said movable plate being connected to a foot-plate by a cord or chain passing over a pulley, whereby the depression of the foot-plate will draw the series of pulleys mounted in the movable plate away from the other series and thereby raise the car to the track, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the track D, car G, and operating-cord e", of the two sets of pulleysflsf, cross-barf, pulley f, cord f8, and foot-plate f, arranged substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination, with the track D, car G, and cord c, of toggle-levers actuated by springs having an adjustable tension to act as a counterpoise to the weight ofthe car, whereby its descent will be controlled, substantially as described.

4. rlhe combination, with the track D, car G, and cord c, ofthe two sets of pulleysf13 f, cross-barfu, spring-actuated togglelevers f15 f1, pivoted to said cross-barf, pulley f", cordfs, and foot-plate f6, arranged substantially as shown and described.

5. The combination, with the track D, car

' G, cord e, and adjustable support E, of a movable stop in the form of a sector of a circle secured to a shaft free to be rotated to raise the stop and allow the car to pass beneath the same, whereby an impetus may be imparted to the car in starting, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with the track D, car

G, cord e, and adjustable support E, of the movable stop H, having an arc-shaped portion against which the car rests, the said stop being mounted on ajshaft, Z1., and operated by a cord, h2, carried on pulleys to a position within reach of the operator, substantially as described.

7. The combination, with the track D, of a car provided with a brake-lever, g3, fulcrumed to the wheel-support g', a trip-lever, g, pivoted to and controlled by the lever g3, springs g13 g, for actuating said levers, and the abutment y, movable in one direction and serving to trip the lever g, whereby the brake-lever g3 will act to stop the motion of the car, substantially as described.

8. The combination, with the track D, car G, adjustable support E, cord c6, and guidebar e, of the automatic escapement L, consisting of the cylinder Z, piston Z2, and valve Z3, operating to control suitable mechanism for sustaining and releasing the track by means of the gradual and regulated retlow of a liquid within the cylinder Z, ,substantially as described.

9. The combination, with the track D, car G, adjustable support E, provided with an eX- tension, cl2, and head portion c, ofthe jaws Z8 ZS, adapted to engage with the said head portion e and sustain the track, and having eXtensions Z9 Z, actuated by springs Z11 Zu in one direction to close thejaws and by loops Z1 Z1 in the other direction to open them, the cross-bar Z, to which the jaws are pivoted and capable of being raised by the head portion e9 on the raising of the track, carrying therewith the piston Z2, to which it is connected through the rod Z, cross-bar Z5, and side rods, Z7 ZT, and the rod ZU, for regulating the opening of the valve Z3 to prolong the descent ofthe piston and releasing meehanism connected therewith, substantially as described.

CHARLES WV. ELLIOTT.

lVitnesses:

PHILIP J. OREILLY, JOHN Baron. 

